Korea AI Act
Framework Act on AI Development and Establishment of Trust (Law No. 20676)
First comprehensive AI legislation in Asia-Pacific and second in the world after EU. Regulates "High-Impact AI" in healthcare, energy, nuclear, transport, government, and education sectors. Requires transparency notifications, content labeling for generative AI, and fundamental rights impact assessments. Notable for lower penalties than EU AI Act and absence of prohibited AI practices.
Jurisdiction
South Korea
Enacted
Jan 21, 2025
Effective
Jan 22, 2026
Enforcement
Ministry of Science and ICT
Passed Dec 26, 2024; promulgated Jan 21, 2025
CSET TranslationWhy It Matters
First comprehensive AI law in APAC, effective January 22, 2026. Foreign companies above user/revenue thresholds must designate Korean representative. Lower penalty cap than EU (KRW 30M vs billions) but establishes regional precedent. Enforcement Decree published September 2025 with grace period for initial compliance.
Recent Developments
Enforcement Decree draft published September 8, 2025 clarifying standards and procedures. Grace period for fines announced to minimize confusion during initial enforcement. AI Safety Institute being established under MSIT.
At a Glance
Applies to
Harms addressed
Who Must Comply
- AI developers and deployers
- Foreign companies above user/revenue thresholds
Safety Provisions
- High-Impact AI regulation in critical sectors (healthcare, energy, nuclear, transport, government, education)
- Mandatory advance notification to users of high-impact or generative AI
- Labeling requirements for AI-generated content (images, text, video)
- Fundamental rights impact assessment before deployment
- Risk management and human oversight requirements
- Foreign company domestic representative requirement above thresholds
- AI Safety Institute established under MSIT
- No prohibited AI practices (unlike EU AI Act)
Exemptions
National Defense and Security Exemption
AI developed exclusively for national defense or security purposes is exempt from the Act
- • AI used exclusively for national defense
- • AI used exclusively for security purposes
Compliance & Enforcement
Key Dates
Jan 22, 2026
All provisions take effect after one-year transition period
Penalties
KRW 30M; criminal (up to 3yr)
View on map
South Korea
Focus Areas
Compliance Help
High-impact AI operators must implement: risk management plans, explanation methods for AI outputs, user protection plans, human oversight mechanisms, and documentation of safety measures. Fundamental rights impact assessments required before deploying high-impact AI products/services.
See how NOPE helpsCite This
APA
South Korea. (2025). Framework Act on AI Development and Establishment of Trust (Law No. 20676).
Related Regulations
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AU Privacy Amendment 2024
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Last updated January 22, 2026. Verify against primary sources before relying on this information.